Film Documentaries to Watch
List activity
3.5K views
• 0 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
407 titles
- DirectorHarry HurwitzStarsCharles ChaplinGloria SwansonThe biography of silent film legend Charlie Chaplin is brought to the screen with the narration of fellow silent star, Gloria Swanson.
- DirectorRichard PattersonStarsCharles ChaplinWalter MatthauLaurence OlivierA film about the life and work of the master comedy filmmaker, Charles Chaplin.
- DirectorMerian C. CooperGunther von FritschErnest B. SchoedsackStarsLowell ThomasKathy DarlynToni ValkOn the evening of September 30, 1952, the shape and sound of movies changed forever with the introduction of Cinerama.
- DirectorRobert GuenetteStarsWilliam ConradAnthony DanielsGeorge LucasC-3PO and R2-D2 explore the creation of the film that made them famous.
- DirectorIain JohnstoneStarsAnouk AiméeSamuel Z. ArkoffLucie ArnazAn eye-opening documentary that reveals the behind-the-scenes partying and plotting at one of the most memorable festivals in Cannes' storied history.
- StarsMark HamillGeorge LucasAnthony DanielsA look at the making of the original Star Wars trilogy.
- StarsJames MasonHans-Joachim KulenkampffJackie CooganUsing in part rare out-take footage, the film-making methods and techniques of Charles Chaplin are explored.
- DirectorWim WendersStarsChishû RyûWerner HerzogYûharu AtsutaMoved by the work of director Yasujirô Ozu, Wim Wenders travels to Japan in search of the Tokyo seen in Ozu's films.
- DirectorSteff GruberStarsWerner HerzogKlaus KinskiSteff GruberDocumenting the tumultuous production of Werner Herzog's film Cobra Verde in Africa, the last of his five collaborations with actor Klaus Kinski.
- DirectorJean-Luc GodardAn 8-part documentary chronically the history of cinema: "All the Histories", "A Single History", "Only Cinema", "Deadly "Beauty", "The Coin of the Absolute", "A New Wave", "The Control of the Universe", and "The Signs Among Us".
- StarsJonathan RossRic MeyersDavid F. FriedmanThis show is a series of documentaries focusing on the world of psychotronic movies. Episodes focus on the lives of such diverse filmakers as Hershell Gordon Lewis, Saim Raimi, Doris Wishman, Ed Wood Jr, and Tsui Hark. Weird movie genres, like Mexican wrestling movies and Hong Kong horror films, are also examined.
- DirectorJean-Luc GodardAn 8-part documentary chronically the history of cinema: "All the Histories", "A Single History", "Only Cinema", "Deadly "Beauty", "The Coin of the Absolute", "A New Wave", "The Control of the Universe", and "The Signs Among Us".
- DirectorJoshua WaletzkyStarsPhilip BoscoElmer BernsteinClaudine BouchéA documentary that explores the work of a composer who created music for over 50 films, collaborating with such diverse directors as Orson Welles, Nicholas Ray, and Martin Scorsese.
- DirectorArnold GlassmanTodd McCarthyStuart SamuelsStarsConrad L. HallJohn BaileyVilmos ZsigmondCameramen and women discuss the craft and art of cinematography, illustrating their points with clips from 100 films, from The Birth of a Nation (1915) to Do the Right Thing (1989).
- DirectorBill KrohnMyron MeiselOrson WellesStarsManuel 'Jacare' Olimpio MeiraJeronimo André De SouzaRaimundo 'Tata' Correia Lima"It's All True: Based on an Unfinished Film by Orson Welles" is a 1993 documentary feature about Orson Welles's ill-fated Pan-American anthology film "It's All True," shot in 1941-42 but never completed.
- DirectorTom ThurmanStarsNed BeattyRobert CulpBecky FondaA retrospective of the work of the late actor Warren Oates, with clips from his films and interviews with cast and crew members who worked with him.
- DirectorRupert EdwardsStarsBill HicksRichard BelzerEric BogosianThis special consists of two parts: "It's Just A Ride", a documentary about Hicks' life which features interviews from friends, admirers, and family; "Revelations", a recording of his last live performance in the United Kingdom.
- DirectorLaurent BouzereauStarsSteven SpielbergPeter BenchleyDavid BrownExcellent and very detailed documentary on the making of a classic. Filled with appealing trivia, exhaustive interviews with cast and crew members, and never before seen footage.
- StarsPhil CollinsMicky DolenzRoger EbertThirty years after A Hard Day's Night, its producer, director, writer and others describe its making. United Artists Records came to Walter Shenson, asking him to produce a movie so UA could issue a soundtrack album. Shenson signed Lester to direct, and they got the Beatles to agree to star. Shenson sent Owen to Dublin to spend time with the Fab Four; from this came a script built around their being prisoners of their own success. Phil Collins, himself an extra on A Hard Day's Night, hosts this examination of a seminal film: what was ad-libbed, why was it a hit, what was its influence on other movies, and how did it define the way the public viewed each Beatle for years to come?
- DirectorKevin MacdonaldStarsBill PatersonBrenda BullPeter MenziesA film about Eric Campbell, the tall Scottish actor who was most famous for playing the quintessential villain for Charles Chaplin's Tramp character.
- DirectorKeith FultonLouis PepeStarsKeith FultonTerry GilliamCharles RovenA documentary following Terry Gilliam through the creation of "12 Monkeys" (1995)
- DirectorPaul SeydorStarsNick RedmanWalon GreenNewell Alexander
- DirectorLen MorrisStarsJames GarnerTom SelleckClint Eastwood
- DirectorRichard SchickelStarsJohn CusackClint EastwoodAutobiography of Clint Eastwood up to his movie "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."
- DirectorJean-Luc GodardStarsJean-Luc GodardSabine AzémaAn 8-part documentary chronically the history of cinema: "All the Histories", "A Single History", "Only Cinema", "Deadly "Beauty", "The Coin of the Absolute", "A New Wave", "The Control of the Universe", and "The Signs Among Us".
- DirectorJean-Luc GodardStarsJean-Luc GodardSerge DaneyJulie DelpyAn 8-part documentary chronically the history of cinema: "All the Histories", "A Single History", "Only Cinema", "Deadly "Beauty", "The Coin of the Absolute", "A New Wave", "The Control of the Universe", and "The Signs Among Us".
- DirectorLaurent BouzereauStarsAlfred HitchcockPeggy RobertsonClive BarkerDocumentary about the making of Hitchcock's classic thriller Psycho (1960), featuring interviews with surviving cast and crew members.
- DirectorHarrison EngleStarsRoddy McDowallRobert A. HarrisJames C. KatzA documentary about the making and restoration of Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece "Vertigo". Narrated by Roddy McDowall, with behind-the-scenes talk from Barbara Bel Geddes, Henry Bumstead, Robert A. Harris, Patricia Hitchcock, James C. Katz, Kim Novak, Peggy Robertson and Martin Scorsese. Brings fresh perspective, not just to the film and the director, but to the Fifties Hollywood as well.
- DirectorScott BensonStarsPeter BrooksMary Lea BandyJames H. BillingtonAs the documentary points out, 85 percent of all silent pictures are gone forever because of neglect, abuse, and improper storage of original prints. This film stresses the importance of saving these and more recent films as cultural documents that have become part of our shared history. It also takes the viewer through the painstaking process of film restoration, and highlights some of the organizations and individuals who are spear-heading this movement.
- DirectorD.P. CarlsonStarsLouis AntonelliD.P. CarlsonRichard M. Daley"Chicago Filmmakers on the Chicago River" is an independent documentary film that reviews the careers of movie makers indigenous to Chicago. The filmmakers are interviewed aboard an amusing variety of watercraft (speedboat, fireboat, tugboat, houseboat, fishing boat, rowboat, pontoon, canoe, etc.) while cruising along the branches of the Chicago River. In the program, the Chicago River comes to life as the filmmakers float along this famous waterway, which is often photographed, but rarely featured as a continuous backdrop in films. The audience learns about each artist's creative process as they navigate their boats and reflect on the various influences that guided their careers, and how they expose their hometown on the silver screen. "Chicago Filmmakers on the Chicago River" is the first documentary to bring together a wide variety of filmic talents from any one city.
- DirectorPeter JonesStarsAngela LansburyEsther WilliamsArlene DahlThe history of color photography in motion pictures, in particular the Technicolor company's work.
- DirectorJean-Luc GodardAn 8-part documentary chronically the history of cinema: "All the Histories", "A Single History", "Only Cinema", "Deadly "Beauty", "The Coin of the Absolute", "A New Wave", "The Control of the Universe", and "The Signs Among Us".
- DirectorJean-Luc GodardStarsAlain CunyJuliette BinocheAn 8-part documentary chronically the history of cinema: "All the Histories", "A Single History", "Only Cinema", "Deadly "Beauty", "The Coin of the Absolute", "A New Wave", "The Control of the Universe", and "The Signs Among Us".
- DirectorJean-Luc GodardAn 8-part documentary chronically the history of cinema: "All the Histories", "A Single History", "Only Cinema", "Deadly "Beauty", "The Coin of the Absolute", "A New Wave", "The Control of the Universe", and "The Signs Among Us".
- DirectorJean-Luc GodardAn 8-part documentary chronically the history of cinema: "All the Histories", "A Single History", "Only Cinema", "Deadly "Beauty", "The Coin of the Absolute", "A New Wave", "The Control of the Universe", and "The Signs Among Us".
- 1985– 1h 26mTV-147.6 (390)TV EpisodeDirectorMichael EpsteinStarsGene HackmanAlfred HitchcockDavid O. SelznickWith Hitchcock's career just beginning and Selznick's on the decline, the final year of their collaboration would mark turning points in both men's lives.
- DirectorRichard SchickelStarsRay HarryhausenLeonard NimoyRay BradburyNarrated by actor Leonard Nimoy and featuring appearances by George Lucas and Ray Bradbury, this film documents Ray Harryhausen's remarkable visual effects work, including his hand in Mighty Joe Young, 20 Million Miles to Earth and Clash of the Titans.
- DirectorJörn DonnerStarsIngmar BergmanJörn DonnerSitting together on a sound stage, Donner interviews Ingmar Bergman in depth, with an emphasis put on on his Bergman's film and theater work. Bergman's personal life and thoughts on religion, family, and loss are also discussed.
- DirectorAlexandra IslesStarsMorgan FreemanRosetta LeNoireDick CampbellA documentary look at the confluence of the Red scare, McCarthyism, and blacklists with the post-war activism by African Americans seeking more and better roles on radio, television, and stage. It begins in Harlem, measures the impact of Paul Robeson and the campaign to bring him down, looks at the role of HUAC, J. Edgar Hoover and of journalists such as Ed Sullivan, and ends with a tribute to Canada Lee. Throughout are interviews with men and women who were there, including Dick Campbell of the Rose McLendon Players and Fredrick O'Neal of the American Negro Theatre. In the 1940s and 1950s, anti-Communism was one more tool to maintain Jim Crow and to keep down African-Americans.
- DirectorTed HaimesStarsKevin SpaceyJonathan DemmeAlfred HitchcockThis documentary is a fascinating look at the cinematic genius of Alfred Hitchcock. Briefly covering much of his early British works, the film primarily focuses on his American classics, such as "Shadow of a Doubt", "Notorious", "Rear Window", "Vertigo", "Psycho" and "The Birds". The movie also covers his television years and neatly examines the Hitchcock signature touches, from his inevitable brief cameo to his famous MacGuffin. Kevin Spacey narrates, and there are interviews with his delightful daughter Pat as well as such film directors as Brian De Palma, Jonathan Demme, Curtis Hanson, Robert Altman, Ronald Neame and Peter Bogdanovich, along with cast and crew members Tippi Hedren, Joseph Stefano, Norman Lloyd, Robert F. Boyle, Teresa Wright and Janet Leigh.
- DirectorRobert FischerStarsClaude ChabrolPatricia HitchcockMadeleine MorgensternWhen Francois Truffaut approached Alfred Hitchcock in 1962 with the idea of having a long conversation with him about his work and publishing this in book form, he didn't imagine that more than four years would pass before Le Cinéma selon Hitchcock finally appeared in 1966. Not only in France but all over the world, Truffaut's Hitchcock interview developed over the years into a standard bible of film literature. In 1983, three years after Hitchcock's death, Truffaut decided to expand his by now legendary book to include a concluding chapter and have it published as the "Edition définitive". This film describes the genesis of the "Hitchbook" and throws light on the strange friendship between two completely different men. Robert Fischer - a friend of Truffaut and vice director of the Münchner Filmmuseum - spoke for his film with Claude Chabrol, Patricia Hitchcock, Madeleine Morgenstern, Jean-Louis Richard, and Laura Truffaut and came across some rare documents in both Los Angeles and Paris. The centrepieces are the extracts from the original sound recordings of the interview with the voices of Alfred Hitchcock, Francois Truffaut, and Helen Scott - recordings which have never been heard in public before.
- DirectorMauro Di FlavianoFederico GrecoStefano LandiniStarsKen AdamMichel CimentMauro Di FlavianoA documentary about Kubrick must necessarily get to the reality behind the legends fueled by a superficial and impatient press. Stanley and us is the story of three Italian fans who, in a unique enterprise, decided to give it a try.
- DirectorLaurent BouzereauStarsAlfred HitchcockPatricia HitchcockRobert F. BoyleA wonderfully informative 80-minute documentary combining current interviews with archival materials and scenes from the film. Hitchcock's daughter Pat, production designer Robert Boyle, screenwriter Evan Hunter, matte artist Albert Whitlock's colleagues Syd Dutton and Bill Taylor, storyboard artist Harold Michelson, Hitchcock collaborator Hilton Green, actors Tippi Hedren, Veronica Cartwright and Rod Taylor, filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich, author Robin Wood, makeup artist Howard Smit, and composer Bernard Herrmann biographer Steven Smith all contribute valuable input to Hitch's memorable classic. A terrific documentary that matches the brilliance of "The Making of 'Psycho'."
- DirectorLaurent BouzereauStarsPatricia HitchcockPeter BogdanovichTeresa WrightThis is a documentary about the making of Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt (1943).
- DirectorPeter FitzgeraldStarsEva Marie SaintPatricia HitchcockErnest LehmanHosted by Eva Marie Saint, the film's leading lady, this 40-minute documentary of Alfred Hitchcock's only M-G-M film combines interviews (Martin Landau, Patricia Hitchcock, production designer Robert F. Boyle and screenwriter Ernest Lehman), movie clips and behind the scenes photos to make for a fascinating look at one of the silver screen's glowing gems. For fans of North by Northwest (1959) and Hitchcock aficionados, this is a must see treat.
- 200046m7.3 (403)VideoDirectorDavid NaylorStarsJames B. HarrisAlexander WalkerLee MinoffDocumentary on the making of Kubrick's classic film.
- DirectorAdam LowStarsAkira KurosawaSam ShepardPaul ScofieldAdam Low's Kurosawa is a 90-minute documentary that looks at Kurosawa's life and works. Originally broadcast on PBS in the US, the film follows a fairly conventional approach as it chronicles Kurosawa's career. The film includes many interviews, more of which are provided on the documentary's home video releases. The film is narrated by Sam Shepard, with sections of Kurosawa's autobiography read by Paul Scofeld. It is a tribute, a celebration and an hommage. A DVD, which comes with almost two hours of extra interviews, has been released as a region free disc by the Australian Madman Entertainment.
- DirectorKevin BrownlowStarsKenneth BranaghForrest J. AckermanMichael F. BlakeLon Chaney, the silent movie star and makeup artist, renowned for his various characterizations and celebrated for his horror films, becomes the subject of this documentary.
- DirectorRobert A. FerrettiStarsRobert KurtzmanHoward BergerGreg NicoteroThis documentary, produced for the DVD release of Evil Dead II, provides film fans with an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the making of the horror comedy about a man who must lead a medieval army to victory against a horde of undead in order to return to his own time. Includes interviews with star Bruce Cambell, director Sam Raimi and other members of the cast and crew, who discuss what it was like to be a part of the making of this cult classic.
- DirectorDaniel RaimStarsJim BissellRobert F. BoyleHenry BumsteadProduction design has always been a key part of the Hollywood filmmaking process, but until recently the field received very little critical attention. But thanks to Daniel Raim's lucid and concise Oscar nominated documentary about Robert Boyle, one of Hollywood's best art directors, a general audience now has a chance to savor what these masters of their craft have contributed. Boyle tells stories about working on everything from Hitchcock's "North by Northwest," "The Birds" and "Marnie" to "Fiddler on the Roof." Boyle is quite eloquent and witty in explaining his craft, and others, including fellow art director Henry Bumstead, are also interviewed. Raim has done an imaginative job of editing production storyboards and sketches with photographs and film segments so that we 'get' what the production designer actually does. The detailed segment on constructing Mt. Rushmore in the studio (thus the film's title!) is fascinating, as we learn more about how actual photos of a location can be skillfully blended with a constructed set. A special highlight is Raim's coverage of "The Birds," in which Raim has Boyle revisit the actual location as film footage from Hitchcock's memorable film is intercut with continuity sketches drawn for Boyle by his draftsman, Harold Michelson. We see a black-and-white line drawing of Tippi Hedren with a bird attacking her, which then becomes that actual shot in the film. Raim's film is a welcome gift to everyone anywhere who wants to know more about what has and continues to make Hollywood Hollywood.
- 200156mNot Rated7.5 (328)VideoDirectorLaurent BouzereauStarsCurtis HansonPeter BogdanovichAlfred HitchcockA retrospective look at Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window (1954).
- DirectorJosé Luis López-LinaresJavier RioyoStarsJosé SanchoCarlos FuentesClaudio IsaacDocumentary about spanish director Luis Buñuel.
- DirectorLaurent BouzereauStarsAlfred HitchcockJoseph StefanoPatricia HitchcockThis hour long documentary on the making of Alfred Hitchcock's "Marnie" incorporates the usual melange of contemporary interviews with surviving participants and liberal helpings of film clips and production shots. It also presents a nice selection of script pages and memos as well. In the former category we find cast members 'Tippi' Hedren, Diane Baker, and Louise Latham, rejected screenwriters Joseph Stefano and Evan Hunter, final screenwriter Jay Presson Allen, daughter Pat Hitchcock O'Connell, production designer Robert Boyle, makeup artist Howard Smit, unit manager Hilton Green, Hitchcock historian Robin Wood, composer Bernard Herrmann biographer Steven C. Smith, and Hitchcock fan/filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich. An entertaining account of the film's production, the participants offer loads of valuable information and anecdotes. Highly enjoyable for Hitchcock fans and the film's growing number of admirers.
- DirectorChris MarkerStarsAndrei TarkovskyMarina VladyEva MattesA documentary made prior to the death of filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky, showing him working on his final film "The Sacrifice". This documentation was made at Tarkovsky's request to stand as a record of his working practices. Interspersed with clips of the director's previous films, this should prove especially interesting for fans of Tarkovsky's work.
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsCatherine E. CoulsonDavid LynchJack NanceThe enduring hope that humanity may or may not persevere. A tale of love and abandonment.
- 1985– 1h 58mTV-147.8 (262)TV EpisodeDirectorMark A. CatalenaPeter JonesStarsDustin HoffmanDana AndrewsAnn BlythGoldwyn's story is a pioneer story, a folk story, a movie fantasy that came true; it is a story about creativity, ambition, money, drive - about a time in America when there was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsMartin ScorseseWorld-renowned director Martin Scorsese narrates this journey through his favorites in Italian cinema.
- DirectorVince DiPersioStarsDavid Paul KirkpatrickMegacorporations absorb the once fiercely independent movie studios.
- DirectorLaurent BouzereauStarsAlfred HitchcockPatricia HitchcockHoward G. KazanjianDocumentary on the production of Alfred Hitchcock's Family Plot (1976).
- DirectorLaurent BouzereauStarsHume CronynArthur LaurentsFarley GrangerHume Cronyn, Arthur Laurents, Farley Granger, and Patricia Hitchcock discuss making of Rope (1948).
- DirectorRay GreeneStarsRay GreeneRoger CormanDavid F. FriedmanA look at several legendary 'exploitation' film-makers from the golden days of drive-in movies, and how they had a lasting effect on the movie landscape in general.
- DirectorLaurent BouzereauStarsJohn Michael HayesA short documentary that presents screenwriter John Michael Hayes partnership with Alfred Hitchcock during the making of Rear Window (1954). From the first meeting with the director to the film's conception and exchange of ideas between both men, their very first collaboration (and they would make four another films together) is told to us by Hayes as a great and dedicated effort that was brilliantly translated to the screen in what would become one of the greatest films of all time.
- DirectorLaurent BouzereauStarsLaurent BouzereauAlfred HitchcockAnthony ShafferThe official behind-the-scenes documentary on "Frenzy" for the 2001 DVD release.
- DirectorLaurent BouzereauStarsPatricia HitchcockHerbert ColemanJohn Michael HayesA documentary discussing the making of the Alfred Hitchcock film The Trouble with Harry (1955).
- DirectorIsaac JulienStarsPam GrierFred WilliamsonMelvin Van PeeblesFilmmaker Isaac Julien uses film clips and interviews to illustrate the history of the so-called "blaxploitation" genre.
- DirectorAngela ChristliebStephen KijakStarsJack AngstreichEric ChadbourneBill HeidbrederThis documentary about the culture of intense cinephilia in New York City reveals the impassioned world of five obsessed movie buffs. The filmmakers expose this delightfully deranged cult by capturing the daily lives of its members. Interviews in movie houses, on the street and in the homes of the subjects tell the story of each individual. Many cannot hold a job, or choose not to. All of them have demoted the importance of the real world, giving all of their attention to the fantasy world of the movies. These human encyclopedias of cinema see two to five films a day, and from 600 to 2,000 films per year. Many have no physical sex lives, living instead in a world of romance with stars like James Dean or Audrey Hepburn. In Cinemania, Hollywood's biggest fans become the true stars. This is the story of their lives, their memories, their unbending habits and the films they love.
- DirectorDavid StrohmaierStarsLowell ThomasFred WallerJim MorrisonA nostalgic and compelling look into the legendary three camera, three projector process that revolutionized motion pictures and led the industry into the widescreen era. Through actual Cinerama clips, rare behind the scenes footage and new interviews, CINERAMA ADVENTURE takes the viewer back to a lost era of movie showmanship, placing this American cinema phenomenon into historical perspective.
- DirectorBruce CampbellStarsBruce CampbellBarbie EllisJason EllisActor/cult icon Bruce Campbell examines the world of fan conventions and what makes a fan into a fanatic.
- DirectorDamian PettigrewStarsFederico FelliniRoberto BenigniLuigi 'Titta' BenziA look at Fellini's creative process. In extensive interviews, Fellini talks a bit about his background and then discusses how he works and how he creates. Several actors, a producer, a writer, and a production manager talk about working with Fellini. Archive footage of Fellini and others on the set plus clips from his films provide commentary and illustration for the points interviewees make. Fellini is fully in charge; actors call themselves puppets. He dismisses improvisation and calls for "availability." His sets and his films create images that look like reality but are not; we see the differences and the results.
- DirectorMartina KudlácekStarsMiriam ArshamStan BrakhageChao Li ChiDocumentary about the life of avant-garde filmmaker Maya Deren, who led the independent film movement of the 1940s.
- DirectorScott EssmanStarsAlan AugustShielu BharwaniDevon DavidsonThe life of Universal makeup legend Jack P. Pierce is told through narration, stills, and recreations of scenes from six famous Universal horror films. Sixteen actors perform in elaborate makeup applied by top Hollywood professionals recreating the look and feel of the famous creations. Performed live on June 17, 2000 at the International Makeup Artist Trade Show in Pasadena, California.
- StarsJonathan RossHayao MiyazakiHideaki AnnoA six-part TV series focusing on Japanese films, TV shows, anime, manga & culture, hosted by Jonathan Ross. Interviews include those with Lone Wolf and Cub comic writer Kazuo Koike, director Takeshi Miike, and many more. Jonathan Ross visits the set of the current Ultraman TV series, allows two former Godzilla actors to stomp model buildings, and speaks with Japan's top animators. Clips include those from Ringu, Spirited Away, Audition, Godzilla pics, some of Akira Kurosawa's films, Babycart movies and many more. Manga artist Junko Mizuno, who is interviewed, provides cartoon characters that are used throughout the series.
- DirectorNanette BursteinBrett MorgenStarsRobert EvansEddie AlbertPeter BartDocumentary about legendary Paramount producer Robert Evans (the film shares the same name as Evans's famous 1994 autobiography).
- DirectorCarmen PicciniStarsWoody AllenFausto AncillaiRoberto BenigniInterviewed participants and clips shed light on: Whether Fellini used scripts or improvised. The extent to which actors made sounds on the set that were totally changed in dubbing. The casting of unusual looking people even in bit parts.
- DirectorLaurent BouzereauStarsMary StoneC.O. EricksonSteven DeRosaDocumentary of the making of Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1955 tale.
- DirectorRichard SchickelStarsSamuel FullerSydney PollackReed HadleySamuel Fuller discusses his career as a filmmaker, illustrated by plenty of clips.
- DirectorGreg CarsonStarsPhilip GlassGodfrey ReggioA short about the making of Powaqqatsi.
- DirectorLewis A. BogachDon FizzinogliaStarsWoody HarrelsonFidel CastroPhyllis CoatesThis 90-minute documentary illustrates how directors pushed boundaries and altered the art of filmmaking during the turbulent, swinging 1960s. Narrated by Woody Harrelson, "Reel Radicals" features clips from such seminal films as Arthur Penn's "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967); Mike Nichols' "The Graduate" (1967); Dennis Hopper's "Easy Rider" (1969); John Frankenheimer's "The Manchurian Candidate" (1962); Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove" (1964) and "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968); John Schlesinger's "Midnight Cowboy" (1969); Richard Brooks' "Elmer Gantry" (1960) and "In Cold Blood" (1967); and Norman Jewison's "In the Heat of the Night" (1967) and "The Thomas Crown Affair" (1968). Frankenheimer, Jewison, Hopper, Schlesinger, Penn, Buck Henry, Paul Mazursky, Roger Corman and Arthur Hiller are among the filmmakers who discuss the decade.
- DirectorRichard SchickelStarsWoody AllenA series of interviews with Woody Allen interlaced with clips from his films.
- DirectorCharles de LauzirikaStarsBolaji BadejoMartin BowerGordon CarrollThis made-for-DVD documentary treats horror and science fiction film fans to a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Alien, the terrifying classic about a spaceship crew trapped with a hideous monster that's hunting them one by one. Features interviews with director Ridley Scott and master designer H.R. Giger, as well as with star Sigourney Weaver and other members of the cast and crew, who share their experiences from working on the project and discuss the special efforts that went into bringing it all together.
- DirectorRichard SchickelStarsCharles ChaplinSydney PollackBill IrwinNarrated by Sydney Pollack, film critic Richard Schickel's dazzling two-hour plus documentary to one of the towering figures in film: Charles Chaplin. Hardcore Chaplin fans may not find much new material here, but more unfamiliar admirers will gain some valuable information about one of the most famous personalities of the 20th century. Schickel has constructed the documentary as a chronological survey of Chaplin's work, starting with his most significant shorts and covering all of his features. Schickel supports his narration with testimony from artists familiar with Chaplin's work and family members who offer personal insights into the comedian's life. The documentary plays down but doesn't ignore the controversies that swirled around Chaplin's private life. But the main focus is on the films. They include some of the best-loved movies of all time. Clips from "Kid Auto Races at Venice," the 1914 Keystone short in which Chaplin first used his Tramp costume, reveal a startlingly modern technique and sensibility, as if the filmmakers were predicting and mocking reality TV. Subsequent shorts show Chaplin refining his 'Little Tramp' character while absorbing the essentials of filmmaking. By the time he made "Easy Street," in 1917, Chaplin had perfected a combination of knockabout farce and Victorian sentiment that still proves irresistible. Chaplin's early features, including "The Kid," "The Gold Rush" and "City Lights," were such blockbuster hits that he could essentially ignore the coming of sound for almost a decade. Those making appearances on the program include Woody Allen, Richard Attenborough, Jeanine Basinger, Claire Bloom, Geraldine Chaplin. Sydney Chaplin, Johnny Depp, Robert Downey Jr., Milos Forman, Bill Irwin, Norman Lloyd, Marcel Marceau, David Raksin, David Robinson, Andrew Sarris, Martin Scorsese and Jeffrey Vance.
- DirectorIan TaylorStarsPei-Pei ChengPing ChinDai LinAbout the wide range of glamorous female stars during the golden age of the 60's and 70's of the Hong Kong cinema. A sentimental journey to the good old days and once again look at the expansive epic costume dramas and Huangmei operas in which actresses played both the male and female roles.
- DirectorIan TaylorStarsJackie ChanPei-Pei ChengDavid ChiangA look at the martial arts and kung fu cinema of Hong Kong.
- DirectorIan TaylorStarsShao-Peng ChenPei-Pei ChengDavid ChiangA full journey from the beginning of "Swordplay" movies in Shanghai, growth in Hong Kong cinemas in the 60's and 70's and Ang Lee's epic "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon".
- DirectorTed DemmeRichard LaGraveneseStarsFrancis Ford CoppolaWilliam FriedkinRobert AltmanA documentary examining the decade of the 1970s as a turning point in American cinema. Some of today's best filmmakers interview the influential directors of that time.
- DirectorHenning LohnerAriane RieckerStarsDennis HopperDavid LynchSean PennOne of the great film and artist documentaries, made for ARTE TV channel. Fantastic candid access to Dennis Hopper - a great portrait of a fascinating American actor, director and visual artist.Dennis Hopper: Create (or Die)
- DirectorTorbjörn EhrnvallStarsBörje AhlstedtIngmar BergmanJulia DufveniusA documentary about the inception of Ingmar Bergman's TV film "Saraband".
- DirectorClara KuperbergRobert KuperbergThe story of the mob in Hollywood, since 1933.
- DirectorLancelot NarayanStarsChristopher FraylingTonino Delli ColliGabriele FerzettiPart one of the making of Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time In The West.
- DirectorRobin ShouStarsSammo Kam-Bo HungChia-Liang LiuRidley TsuiA short action film interwoven into a documentary tells the story of the legendary unsung heroes of Hong Kong film, the stuntmen and women. This film features the world's most illustrious stuntmen, and many current working stuntmen, profiled through interviews and clips that showcase their work. It explores their death-defying feats and foolhardy working methods and traces their origin back to the original Hong Kong stuntmen known as "red trousers" - a term used to describe acrobats in Peking Opera. By incorporating the martial arts, fantasy, adventure short action film, "Lost Time," the viewer is given an actual account of how stunts are created and executed on film.
- DirectorElaina ArcherStarsKim BasingerRobert BoardEduardo CansinoBiography of 1940's sex goddess Rita Hayworth. Born Margarita Cansino, she studied dancing from the age of 5 and was soon part of the family's night club act. By age 18 she was married and pursuing a movie career. She reached her peak appeal with the movie Gilda, but found that people expected her to be that character in real life. In fact she was shy and introverted. Married four times (most notably to Orson Welles and Ali Khan) she had two children and was a dedicated and loving mother. As she got older, she focused on more dramatic roles but the early onset of Alzheimer's disease rendered it difficult for her to learn her lines. She died in 1987.
- DirectorCharles de LauzirikaStarsSimon AthertonJay BenedictMichael BiehnThis feature-length documentary, made especially for the 2003 Aliens (1986) DVD release, is incredibly informative with all its interviews with both the cast and crew, as well as behind the scenes footage filmed during the making of the film. Every possible element towards what went into making the movie is included here and gives fans an overload of information to fill their brains with.
- DirectorChris CunninghamLance BangsStarsVanessa EloyKiran ShahNikki BondAn 84 minute collection of commercials, music videos and other stuff by the influential English video artist and filmmaker Chris Cunningham.
- DirectorLance BangsJeff BuchananMichel GondryStarsBeckBjörkThe Chemical BrothersA look at the work of director Michel Gondry, through his music videos, short films, and commercials.
- DirectorSpike JonzeLance BangsRoman CoppolaStarsMark GonzalesLauren CurryRico BuenoThe music videos, documentaries and short stories of director and actor Spike Jonze.